The highlight of the cross-country season, the National Even Ages Juveniles and National Senior Championships will be held in Templemore Sports Centre in Derry this Sunday, with close on 1,500 athletes qualified across the programme

At Senior level, the event is a qualifier for next month’s European Cross Country Championships in Portugal and a stacked field full of international such as Nick Griggs, Efrem Gidey, champion Keelan Kilreehil, Darragh McIlhenny and Brian Fay are expected to feature in the Men’s race.

Galway City Harriers field a strong Senior Men’s team including new recruit Jamie Walsh and former Intermediate champion Cian O’Reilly; while Castlegar AC also have a quartet racing led by Elix Sundberg and Rupert Claisse.

Craughwell athlete William Fitzgerald made last year’s team and is again in flying form. Fitzgerald’s club will also be in with an overall team medal chance on the day, backed up by the likes of Jamie Fallon, and Jack Miskella among others,

In the Ladies event, defending champion Ann Marie McGlynn is likely to feature along with national marathon champion, Ava Crean. Galway hopes rest with Fiona Everard, University of Galway alumni coached by Matt Lockett of Galway City Harriers.

Galway has more than 100 qualifiers at juvenile level, including Luke Walsh and Ciaran Considine, Declan O’Connell, Claudia Coyle, and Keilah Murray. Club teams such as Castlegar, Clare River Harriers, Craughwell, Tuam, GCH, Athenry and South Galway have all qualified at various age levels U-12 to U-16.

The first race goes at 11.30 am, with the finale the Senior Men at 2.50pm.

Pictured: Masters International Cross Country athletes, Greg Lundon of South Galway, with the Galway City Harriers duo of Eimear O’Leary and Gerry Carty.